Jerez Test - Day Two

@LaurenceEdmondson Something is getting in the way of the negotiations,but I do not know which parties are creating difficulties. Maybe Lewis wants more money or maybe he wants to see how Mercedes competitors are this year and then make a decision or even Mercedes are trying to negotiate low values in order to Hamilton give up, and then take Alonso or Bottas next year.

by pmphacets2/2/2015 9:19:19 AM

@Laurence Alonso is supposedly the highest paid F1 driver with his new Contract at McLaren worth £25million per year, Hamilton's new deal, do you think he will also get £25million per year or more or less? Hamilton already gets £20million a year and Mercedes make £20million in hours! so I can't see why they wouldn't give Hamilton £25million a year. I really hope Hamilton's new deal is as big as Alonso's with McLaren!

by MichaelDuncan2/2/2015 9:19:25 AM

Hi.... is it my impression or Vettel looks like he lost weight over the winter period. He looked really odd in the red suit in the presentation. Moreover has he named his car as he used o do with RBR?

by Lawrence Ellul2/2/2015 9:19:32 AM

@LawrenceEllul: I'm not sure he's lost weight. But I think they may have got his measurements wrong for the suit they gave him for the launch photos. He also joked yesterday that he needs to work on his tan now that he is at an Italian team.

by Laurence Edmondson2/2/2015 9:20:33 AM

Hamilton is currently on track and has improved to a 1:22.490. Looks like he's on a longer run that Vettel though.

by Laurence Edmondson2/2/2015 9:22:23 AM

Here's a picture of the man who currently leads the standings.

by Laurence Edmondson2/2/2015 9:23:34 AM

Which teams put on the best lunch for the media? Or do you have to bring/get your own?

by KiwiBjorn2/2/2015 9:23:35 AM

@KiwiBjorn: Mercedes are always a sure bet for good food. However, there is also Cafe Pit Stop here in Jerez that serves a fine queso y jamon bocadillo (at a price).

by Laurence Edmondson2/2/2015 9:24:59 AM

That is a bit worrying, After Vettel put that fastest lap in he done a couple of laps in the 1.22's on the Medium. Now Hamilton has only done like laps and already in the high 1.22's in the low 1.23's. So actually it looked like the Ferrari was faster than the Mercedes on every single one of they laps...:/

by MichaelDuncan2/2/2015 9:25:45 AM

@MichaelDuncan: One word for you: fuel. At this stage we don't know what fuel loads they are running. Judging by the length of Hamilton's run he had more. Then there's engine settings, what the team was trying to achieve etc. etc.

by Laurence Edmondson2/2/2015 9:27:33 AM

The Lotus has appeared! Maldonado has left the garage for the first installation lap in the E23. We'll have a photo as soon as we can...

The track falls silent as Hamilton returns to the pits but that lull is broken by the return of Kvyat - and once again his RB11 has no front wing.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:24:13 AM

@FishFace0212: Tyres are of less importance on a track like this - the more important tyre runs will come at Barcelona. As for tyres allowed, I thought I had a tweet saved somewhere and I don't and now I'm doubting myself, let me confirm with a colleague and get back to you. It's Monday!

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:26:36 AM

Lets not read into these time, I agree on that fact however it is worth pointing that Vettel is proving the world that he can go fast even in an non-Newey car...Great start by Ferrari...Mercedes/Williams are still favorites (could be hiding some pace)..What about Red Bull? What are your views on their new car? Is the nose on the limit?

by Chalitha Trishan2/2/2015 10:26:43 AM

How long do you think the teething problems are likely to take to be resolved? Is it possible that McLaren are unable to start in Australia? We don't want McLaren to be making that kind of history.

by Sid2/2/2015 10:26:47 AM

@Sid: Well cast your mind back to 2014 and you'll remember Red Bull completing only 22 laps in four days of Jerez testing last year.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:27:14 AM

Given an F1 with lighter fuel handles easier than heavy loads, would it be likely that's what Ferrari have given Vettel to help him get up to speed with the car? It's a different beast than he's used to and easing him into it's quirks might help him settle. Expect Kimi to be dragging the fully loaded car around for the next 2 days.

by drynog2/2/2015 10:27:49 AM

A Merc vs Ferrari battle is significant for F1.. Hope we can see that this year.. What can we expect from Ferrari this season?

by Ventana2/2/2015 10:27:55 AM

Bottas is now out on track with a massive sensor on the side of his Williams.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:28:12 AM

Kvyat came back to the pits after its outlap, by the way - unsurprisingly Kvyat was way off the pace without a front wing. That'll be an interesting question for Christian Horner this evening.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:28:59 AM

@DamienO: I think initially he lost the wing somewhere out on track, as some are saying he went out with a front wing and returned without.

Some sort of Red Bull voodoo going on today.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:30:12 AM

Does the Red Bull have aero paint on it?

by Im a Red Bull2/2/2015 10:30:21 AM

@ImaRedBull: Not at the moment, just it's new testing livery.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:30:29 AM

can you pls update on mclaren

by aznaz2/2/2015 10:31:37 AM

@aznaz: When there is an update to give you, I will. All quiet on the Woking front so far.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:31:50 AM

I expected Ferrari and Vettel to do longer race simulation laps today after being satisfactory in quicker but shorter runs. If I am not wrong Vettel outqualified Ricciardo last season, but struggled during race.

by Ayan Dasgupta2/2/2015 10:31:56 AM

I am a Ferrari fan, in the beginning I questioned the move of Vettel to the Schuderia team, however I changed my mind after Fernando had the whole team around him, which is why the team was not going forward.....

by Chalitha Trishan2/2/2015 10:32:01 AM

I mean the green runny stuff.

by Im a Red Bull2/2/2015 10:32:05 AM

@ImaRedBull: Not at the moment. Hamilton was running with a large amount of it on the rear of his W06 Hybrid earlier.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:32:20 AM

so front wing gives extra downforce right? and is this the same thing that helps Kimi? Front end grip??

by AngrymanXIII2/2/2015 10:32:24 AM

@AngrymanXIII: Yes, but last year's Ferrari had a very unpredictable front end which left Raikkonen second-guessing the car under braking. James Allison reckons this year's car suits the Finn much better.

Good to see F1 continuing to push new things on its app. This time last year there was next to nothing on there.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:33:43 AM

Please send a pic of the William's sensor on Botta's Car

by Wayne Cammidge2/2/2015 10:35:44 AM

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:35:55 AM

Hello Nate and friends!! All geared up for 2015 season to begin... Starting with the testing!! :D

by Rohan Mehta2/2/2015 10:36:02 AM

Do you think the Sauber team look more competitive than last year after the personal refresh?

by Deadlyfatcow2/2/2015 10:36:06 AM

@Deadlyfatcow: Yesterday was an encouraging start but we're a long way away from being in a position where we can accurately predict how the smaller teams will fare. I'd say a clearer picture will emerge in Barcelona.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:36:32 AM

@NateSaunders How well do you think will Mclaren's position be at melbourne given the current teething problems (reminiscent of RB in 2014). Do you think will Alonso will have a championship winning car in the 1st quarter of the season?

by SD2/2/2015 10:36:41 AM

@SD: Not a championship-winning car, no, not that early. He'll have to be patient this year but there's no reason to think Honda can't win a race or two if it sorts these early issues out before we leave Jerez.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:37:15 AM

For whoever asked earlier...

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:37:35 AM

Kvyat returning from an earlier run with damage.

by Nate Saunders2/2/2015 10:37:55 AM

Maldonado completes his and the E23's first flying lap - a 1:39.488. Obviously that will improve as the session continues.